The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972 in Glasgow, Scotland |
| Founder | Alex Harvey |
| Headquarters | Glasgow , Scotland |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (SAHB) originated in Glasgow in 1972 as a Scottish rock ensemble. Led by Alex Harvey, the lineup featured Zal Cleminson on guitar, Chris Glen handling bass duties, Hugh McKenna on keyboards, and Ted McKenna behind the drums. Their sound was a fusion of blues rock and hard rock, infused with theatrical cabaret influences. Renowned for their dramatic live shows, they achieved considerable acclaim across continental Europe and left a mark on artists including AC/DC and Nick Cave.
History
Formed in August 1972, SAHB brought together Alex Harvey with Zal Cleminson, Chris Glen, and cousins Hugh and Ted McKenna—most of whom had previously played in the progressive rock group Tear Gas, except for Hugh. The band became known for their unique stage attire: Harvey’s vaudevillian flair, Cleminson’s mime-inspired look, and Glen’s superhero-style costume. Throughout the 1970s, they released multiple well-received albums and embarked on extensive tours. Although they did not break significantly into the American mainstream market, SAHB cultivated a dedicated fanbase in cities such as Cleveland, helped by radio exposure of songs like "Next" and "The Faith Healer."
In January 1974, the band entered London's Advision Studios with American producer Shel Talmy to record their third album. Unhappy with the outcome, they abandoned these sessions; many of the tracks were later reworked for the album The Impossible Dream, released that same year. The original recordings eventually surfaced as Hot City in 2009.
SAHB achieved UK top 40 chart success with their rendition of Tom Jones’ "Delilah," which peaked at number seven in 1975, followed by "The Boston Tea Party" in 1976. Additionally, "Anthem" reached the charts in Australia during 1975.
After Alex Harvey exited the group late in 1976, the remaining members continued under the name "SAHB (without Alex)" and issued Fourplay in 1977, showcasing a shift toward pop-rock blended with progressive elements. Harvey rejoined midway through 1977 as Hugh McKenna departed. In 1978, they recorded Rock Drill featuring Tommy Eyre on keyboards replacing Hugh before ultimately disbanding. Alex Harvey died from heart failure on 4 February 1982 while in Belgium.
Reunions
In 1992, Glen, Cleminson, and Ted McKenna established "The Party Boys," collaborating with guest vocalists such as Fish, Dan McCafferty, and Stevie Doherty alongside keyboardist Ronnie Leahy. After approximately a year, Hugh McKenna returned on keyboards and the group reformed as SAHB. The live album Live in Glasgow 1993, featuring Doherty's vocals, was released during this period. This formation dissolved in 1995 but reconvened in 2002 to honor Frankie Miller at Glasgow’s Barrowlands with former Nazareth guitarist Billy Rankin on vocals. Rankin was succeeded by "Mad" Max Maxwell after about a year.
In 2006 SAHB issued Zalvation, their first official album since Rock Drill in 1978, along with an autobiography titled SAHB Story, authored by their former tour manager Martin Keilty. The band toured extensively throughout the UK, Europe, and Australia before disbanding again in 2008 following Cleminson’s departure. They completed prearranged performances with guitarist Julian Hutson Saxby prior to pursuing individual endeavors.
Legacy
In 2018, Nick Cave revealed to Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie that his initial band functioned largely as an Alex Harvey tribute act, regularly performing songs such as "Framed" and "Faith Healer." Previously, Bob Seger had included "Gang Bang" in his 1974 live setlist, introducing it humorously as a love song.
Robert Smith of The Cure recognized Alex Harvey as a British pioneer of punk rock due to his intense Glaswegian stage presence reminiscent of street theatre performances.
Studio albums
| Release date | Album information | Highest chart ranking | Certifications (sales thresholds) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK |
AUS |
SWE | |||
| December 1972 | Framed | — | — | — | |
| November 16, 1973 | Next... | 37 | — | — |
|
| October 4, 1974 | The Impossible Dream | 16 | 78 | — |
|
| April 1975 | Tomorrow Belongs to Me | 9 | — | — |
|
| March 1976 | The Penthouse Tapes | 14 | — | 35 |
|
| July 1976 | SAHB Stories | 11 | 98 | 33 |
|
| February 1977 | Fourplay | — | — | — | |
| March 1978 | Rock Drill | — | — | — | |
Live albums
| Release date | Album information | Highest chart ranking | Certifications (sales thresholds) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK |
US | |||
| September 1975 | Live | 14 | 100 |
|
| 1977 | Alex Harvey Presents: The Loch Ness Monster | — | — | |
| 1991 | BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert | — | — | |
| 1995 | Live on the Test | — | — | |
| 1998 | The Gospel According to Alex Harvey | — | — | |
| 2004 | '‘British Tour '76’’ | '’
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| '’2006’’ | '’US Tour '74’’ | '’
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| '’2009’’ | '’Live at the BBC’’ (Spectrum/Universal 2009) | '’
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Reunion albums
- Live in Glasgow 1993 (1994) featuring Stevie Doherty as vocalist
- Zalvation, also known as Zalvation: Live in the 21st Century (2006), with "Mad" Max Maxwell on vocals
Compilations and other releases
- Hot City (an early iteration of The Impossible Dream, remastered and issued in 2009)
- Vambo Rools: 'Big Hits and Close Shaves' (Vertigo, 1977)
- The Sensational Alex Harvey Band Collection (Castle Communications, 1986)
- All Sensations (Vertigo, 1992)
- Faith Healer – An Introduction to (Mercury Records, 2001)
- ...Delilah (Spectrum, 1998)
- Considering the Situation (Universal, 2003)
- The Best of the Sensational Alex Harvey – reached #148 on UK charts
- Last of the Teenage Idols (2016) – a comprehensive box set containing 14 CDs and 217 tracks, including 21 previously unreleased songs, 59 tracks available on CD for the first time, rare recordings, plus a hardcover photo book
- Shout: The Essential Alex Harvey (Spectrum Audio, 2018)
Singles
| Year | Title | UK | AU | BE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | "There's No Lights on the Christmas Tree..." | - | - | - |
| 1973 | "Jungle Jenny" | - | - | - |
| 1973 | "Next..." | - | - | - |
| 1974 | "Anthem" | - | 47 | - |
| 1974 | "Sergeant Fury" | - | - | - |
| 1975 | "Delilah" | 7 | - | 49 |
| 1975 | "Gamblin' Bar Room Blues" | 38 | - | - |
| 1976 | "Boston Tea Party" | 13 | - | - |
External links
- AllMusic: The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
- Discogs: The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
- IMDb: The Sensational Alex Harvey Band